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Fundamental Messages No.2: The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ
William Evans
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iv TALB The Virgin Birth of Jes us Christ
INTRODUCTION. The modern critical spirit with its antagonism to the supernatural, its evolutionary teachings concerning biology and the processes of Ii fe, its attempt to bring the super nahiral into the realm Qf the natural, so that much which here tofore has been attributed to unique divine action, is now pur ported to have taken place through ordinary natural means the~e thing& compel the Christian to consider the Virgin Birth anew and afresh, in order to be able to give a reason for the hope that is within him. The reasons for the discussion of the doctrine of the Vir gin Birth are therefore more than personal or individual. Something much larger is invoh·etl. The faith of the Church is at stake. Is the doctrine of the Virgin Birth a necessary Copyright article of the Christian's creed? Shall this doctrine, which for By all these centuries has been considered a fundamental plank in Rev. William Evans the platform of the Chrrstian faith, remain there? Is it nec essary any longer to believe in this account of the entrance of our Lord into the world? Is it incumbent upon the Christian to so believe and confess his faith? Can belief in the Virgin Birth be expunged from the Christian faith, and Christianity still remain intact? POSITION OF OPPONENTS The opponents to the doctrine reply in the affirmative. They maintain that the foundations of our faith are not shaken by a refusal to believe in the supernatural birth of Christ; that there were conversions in the Acts of the Apostles and in the early Church, when the doctrine of the Virgin Birth was un known; that men believed in the sinlessness of Christ and His redemptive work even though they knew nothing of His super natural birth. The attitude of the opponents to this doctrine is expressed by the following quotation: Soltau, in his book, "The Birth of Jesus Ch.rist," says: "\Vhoever makes further demands that an evangelical Christian shall believe in the word-. 'Conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,' un-
98498 The Fimdamentals The Virg111 Birth of Jesus Christ TALB wittinglY: ~onstitutes himself a sharer in the sin against the dead, it will not be long before His sinless and spotless life Holy Spmt of the true gospel as transmitted to us by the apos- j will be challenged, for a sinless human being in history is as much a supernatural fact as a Virgin Birth or a Resurrection. tie~ an~ their s~h~ol i~ the apostolic age." Soltau, then, makes i , belief m the V1rgm Birth a sin against the Holy Ghost. It is maintained that the Virgin Birth cannot be denied and the Reginald T. Campbell, in "The New Theology," says: other facts of Christ's life stand valid and provide a firm basis for faith and hope. The life of Christ cannot be considered "The credibility and significance of Christianity are in no piecemeal. The doctrine of the Virgin Birth is a foundation way affected by the doctrine of the Virgin Birth, otherwise stone and it cannot be removed without pulling down some part than that the belief tends to put a barrier between Jesus and of the building with it. the race and to ~ake Ilim something that cannot properly be called human. Like many others, I used to take the position I. The Record of the Evangelists, Matthew and Luke-The that acceptance or non-acceptance of the doctrine of the Virgin Scriptural Data for the Doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Birth was i!11illaterial, because Christianity was quite inde "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom pei;iclent of 1t; but later reflection has convinced me that, in was born Jesus, who is called Christ. . . . Now the birth pomt of fa~t .. it op~ra~es as a hindrance to spiritual religion of Jesus Christ was on this wise: \Vhen as his mother "'.\fary and a real hvmg faith m Jesus. The simple and natural con was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was clusion is that Jesus was the child of Joseph and Mary and had found with child of the IIoly Ghost. Then Joseph her hus an uneventful childhood." band, beiug a just ma11, and not willing to make her a public "It is a dangerous and fallacious dilemma that the idea of example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he the God-1\fan stands or falls with the Virgin Birth."-Hamack. thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared . "Good Christian men may take opposite sides of this ques- unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear tion without giving up that which is vital or cardinal to the J - not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is con faith. No doctrinal use is made of it (the doctrine of the Vir- ~" ceived in lier is of the Ilqly Ghost. And she shall bring forth gin Bir!h) in the New Testament."-Ropes. . a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his It 1s clear from these statements of representatives of the people from their sins. Now all this was clone, that it might opponents to this doctrine that it is not only a matter of indif be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, say ference whether we accept the doctrine of the Virgin Birth or ing, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth not, bu~ ~hat it. is ~ positive hindrance to spiritual religion and a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being a real ltvmg faith m Jesus, and that it is virtually a sin against interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from the Holy Ghost. Assertions like these force upon us the neces sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took sity of considering this doctrine of the Christian faith. unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought ~POSITION OF ADHERENTS forth her first-born son: and he called his name JEsus." The adherents to the doctrine claim that it matters much l\fatthew 1 :16, 18-25. "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from and a~ects .Christia;iity an~ the Christian life greatly whether we believe m the Virgm Birth or not. They maintain that the God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin life of Christ cannot be considered in a fragmentary manner espoused to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and but as a whole. The Virgin Birth is but a fragment of th~ the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, Christian story, and the denial of it is but an attempt to rule and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with out the supernatural from the entire life of Jesus. It is not a thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, question of one, but of all the miracles, that is at stake. If we she was troubled at his ·s().ying, and cast in her mind what man begin by denying the supernatural character of Christ's en ner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, trance into the world and then deny His Resurrection from the Fear not, l\Iary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, ,t, Page Four * l~.~~ _ Page Five
a~- The Fundamentals The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ ~TAL~ behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, the supernatural "can hardly know what intellectual honesty and shall call his name JEsus. He shall be great, and shall be means" although he himself says, in speaking of the self called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give consci~usness of Jesus, that it is "empirically inexplica~le," unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign and that a "creative" element from God must be recognized over the house of Tacob for ever : and of his kingdom there in it. shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall It is asserted that God's means for the production of the this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered race is marriage; that this method is of His ordaii:ing and is and said unto her. The Holv Ghost shall come upon thee, and according to the natural law; that there is no necessity for any the power of the Highest sh;IJ overshadow thee: therefore also interference with this law; that it is more natural, therefore. that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the and more in harmony with the ordained laws of Goel that Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also Christ should be born as other men. But is it not rather pre conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with sumptuous, we may ask, to say what Goel would o~ would ~ot her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be do under such unusual circumstances? Surely if anythmg impossible."-Luke 1 ::26-37. supernatural c~uld_ be released fr~J? the rigid hand of la":, it Considerable space is devoted by Matthew and Luke to would be at this tune when the Kmg of all laws cometh mto the birth of our Lord! both testify that Christianity was intro the world. If angels have any message, surely this is the time duced into the world by a supernatural event. l\fore space is for its announcement. If the stars can minister to the guid given bv these evangelists to the account of Christ's birth than ance of mankind, what more fitting occasion could there be to many other events in our Lord's life, the Transfiguration for such service than this? We speak of the difficulties of the for example. Those who believe in the inspiration of the Incarnation as though there were any difficulties with God. Scriptures believe in "·hat may be called the inspiration of How do we know but that the manner of Christ's advent into selection; that is to say, that only those events, sermons and · the world as described in Matthew and Lnke was the easiest miracles in the life of Christ are recorded which are absolutely and most natural way foi: Deity to become humanity? Ro necessary for His manifestation to the world as the div:ine manes, the agnostic, admitted that ''a Virgin Birth, evei: ~~ th~ Saviour and Lord. Therefore, the fact that the Evangelists human race, is by no means out of the range of yossibihty. give so much space to Christ's birth gives that event an import Parthenogenesis is scientifically admitted in certam forms of ant place in the Christian system. life. It may, or may not be true that these two are the only To dismiss a priori the Evangelists' account of Christ:S evangelists who record the Virgin Dirth of our Lord, yet it birth because it contains the element of the supernatural, ts should be remembered in this connection that they are the only to set oneself up as a judge of what God can and ought or can two that deal with the infancy of Christ at all and that they not and ought not to do. It is certainly clear that the evange testify that the mode of Christ's entrance into the world was lists consider in their genealogical tables that no laws of here super.natural, and that a miracle attended the manner in which dity are sufficient to account for the generation of Jesus Christ; the only begotten Son of God came to sojourn· with the sons of to them, at least, His birth was outside of the ordinary; i~ was men. as though by a "creative act God broke through the cham of II. Objections to the Doctrine of the Virgin Birth. human generation and brought into the world a supernatural being." Why might there not be in the case of the second Those who refuse to accept the doctrine of the Virgin Adam as in the case of the first, "no violation of a natural Birth of our Lord do so for the following main reasons: law, b~1t only a unique revelation of its possibilities?" 1. It is against the laws of nature. 2. That having bztt mie human parent would not guaran These critics assume that what is supernatural must be tee si11/ess11ess; co11scquentl-y it would be of no advantage for ruled out of religion. Foster says that a man who believes in Christ to have been bom as the gospel records declare.
Page Six Page Seven The F1wda111e11tals The Virgin Birth of J csus Christ TAL It is held that Clui t could contract a sinful nature from son for this silence regarding the birth of Christ. ::\lark's in one parent as much as from two: that being born of the Virgin tention is to give an account of the life of Christ "within the ).fary could not produce a sinless being. There may be a sense limits of the common apostolic testimony," from the baptism in which this objection is valid. but we must not forget that in of Christ to His ascension (Acts 1 :22). He begins his gospel the announcement to ~Jary of Christ's forthcoming birth, it with Christ as a mature man. thirty years old. He describes was distinctly stated that His conception was a specific act of the :'.\Iessiah as the Servant of Jehovah. No genealogy is given the Holy Spirit and that "therefore" Christ should be holy. I and no reference to His birth or infancy is made for this The exact quotation is as follows: "The Holy Spirit shall come reason. upon thee and the power of the J\Iost High shall overshadow But does Mark's silence imply that he was ignorant of the thee; wherefore also the holy thing (or that which is to be manner of Christ's birth? Because he does not mention the born shall be called holy) which is begotten of thee shall be birth of Christ in any wise, does this mean that he did not know called the Son of God." (Luke 1 :35). Jesus' conception was that Jesus was born at all? IJe surely must have known about holy and untainted, not because "man had no part in the con the Virgin Birth, for the early Church met in his mother's ception, but because He was Sanctified by the Spirit, so that house, and :'.\Iary was among the number who met there. His generation was as pure and holy as it would have been !I I Again it is worth our note that l\latthew, in citing the ques before Adam's fall.''-Calvin. tion of the people regarding Christ, asks, "Is not this the car 3. That the Nrw Testament, n•ith tlze exception of Matt I penter's son?" while l\Iark, recording the same question, says, hew a11d Luke, is silent with regard to tlze doctrine of the Vir "Is not this the carpenter, the son of ~Iary ?" The it1troduc gin Birth. tion to ~lark's gospel, in which Jesus is called the Son of God If this doctrine is so important to believe and has so fun and is linked with Old ';[estament prophecy, also leads us to damental a place in the Christian system, why, it is argued, do 'i infer .:\fark's knowledge of Christ's supernatural birth. Mark, John, Peter, James and Paul say nothing about it? The , (b) The Silence of John. silence of these New Testament writers, then, is used as an argument against belief in the Virgin Birth. Again we must remember the purpose of John's gospel, Rut this argument ex silcntro, even if true, can be made which was to present the divine and heavenly, not the human too much of. "The old claim of the criminal that whereas only and earthly, descent of our Lord. Not Christ's humanity but two men saw him steal and because he could bring one hun His deity is the purpose John sets himself to reveal, hence his t!re
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J TU The Fundamentals The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," thus making the cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethle Yerse refer to Christ. Here "natural generation by a human hem, where David was?" (John 7 :41, 42). father is denied and exclmle
Page Ten Page Eleven The Fundamentals The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ TAL~ not the same in both passages. Indeed Paul uses the word and Israel which threatened to destroy his kingdom. The "born'' three or four times in Galatians 4. but in speaking of prophet Isaiah i sent to warn .\haz against alliance with the Christ's birth ( 4 :..+) he uses a different word than he does king of Assyria whose help he has sought, and to assure him when speaking of Isaac and J shmael (vs. 23, 29). of the perpetuity of the throne of David. which the invasion of these kings threatened with destruction. The fulfillment of 4. That the story of the 1'irgin Birth grew 011t of a mis this prophecy is to be in the nature of a sign. Something taken npplicatio11 of prophecy. supernatural is to occur. Of course. there is a sense in which It is stated that the disciples believed Jesus to be the :\Jes the promise was partly and naturally fulfilled in the birth of siah because of His \Yonclrous and unique life and that the Isaiah's son, but Isaiah\ son was not named "\Vonderful, story of the \-irgin Dirth was invented to account for the super Counsellor. The mighty Goel, The everlasting Father, The human element in the life of Jesus. In looking around for Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9 :6-a part of the prophecy begin material to enforce this claim, :'.\Iatthew lighted upon this pro ning at 7: 14). It was not of Isaiah's son that the prophet said: phecy of Isaiah, of which he makes a free use by referring it "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be to Christ as he does of the prophecy in connection with the no end, upon the throne of David. and upon his kingdom, to flight into Egypt, the residence in ~azareth. and Rachel weep order it. and to establish it with judgment and with justice from ing for her d1ildren. ~\\' e are told that the religious faith of henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will the disciples was on the lookout for Old Testament intima perform this" (Isaiah 9 :7). That this prophecy (9 :6) refers tions. and this prophecy in Isaiah agreed with their notions. to Christ is evident from Matthew 4 :14, 15: "That it might be therefore they applied it to Christ. fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying. The It has lieen reasonably questioned by some conservative land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the scholars whether Isaiah 7 :14 was ever looked upon by the sea, beyond Jordan. Galilee of the Gentiles" (cf. Isaiah 9 :1, Jews as being Messianic, and hence it cannot be proven that 2). l\Jatthew quoted it because current opinion associated it with It is a characteristic of Scripture that it is so full that it the 1fessiah. Would not the story of the Virgin Birth, inti does not exhaust itself in its application to the people to whom mated in prophecy, be a stumbling block to the Jews? JI.fat it was immediately written (cf. Romans 4 :23, 24; 15 :4). This thew's apologetic would seem to indicate it. Matthew's treat is sometimes called "the law of double reference." The destruc ment of the Virgin Birth of our Lord is polemic. Joseph's tion of Jerusalem was a fulfillment, but not the complete f1tlfill- part in the narrative is emphasized to show the Jews that 111c11t, of the Second Advent of our Loni. In like maimer. the Joseph gave -:\1ary and the Child his protecting care and vindi birth of Isaiah's son was a fulfillment. but not the co111plctc ful cation. and thus not only vindicated the miraculous concep fillment, of their prophecy. The prophet looks beyond the pres tion but protected :\fary from slander and calumny. ent and assures Ahaz that in a miraculous way God will raise A close study of the prophecy in Isaiah, which begins with up a King for David's throne, whose name shall be "\Vonder 7 :14 and is really not finished until the 6th verse of the 9th ful. Courisellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The chapter, hows that the prophe<,:y does really refer to Christ. Prince of Peace." This prophecy :Matthew rightly connects \Nhether the Jews ever looked upon this prophecy as Messianic with Christ, who is the heir to David's throne and whose name or !10t is not to the point just now, for there are other prophe is Immanuel (Matthew 1 :23, cf. Luke 1 :32, 69). cies, the 53rd of Isaiah for example, which we know are Mes It might be well to note in this connection the present sianic, but which the Jews ·would or do not. by any means, ad tenses of this prophecy, for they may help us to see its prophe mit to refer to Christ. tic significance. The prophet speaks of the conception and The context of this prophecy is instructive. Let us exam birth as actually taking place at the moment of speaking. The ine it. The prophecy, as we know. was made to king Ahaz, passage reads: "The (or better, one) virgin is with child and who was being sorely oppressed by the hostile armies of Syria beareth a son." The Hebrew original there would be a parti-
Page Twelve Page Thirteen The Fundamentals The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ ciple, anrl the exact rendering would be, "Behold, thou art con have sought thee." But how could Mary speak otherwise of cei\'ing now." An immediate conception is meant (cf. v. 39, Joseph, seeing he was her husband? Then again Christ was "and with haste;" the reference to Elizabeth that "she also born in Joseph's house; Jesus stood in the legal relation to hath conceived" indicates that conception had taken place with Joseph as son and was under his protection. Joseph in marry !IIary at the time of the announcement by the angel, and this ing Mary under the circumstances had assumed full parental was before Joseph's marriage to Mary). The reference that responsibility for the Child. It was natural, therefore, that "no word of God shall be impossible" would be senseless in Mary should speak of him as the father. It should not be this connection unless something supernatural and different overlooked, however, even in this connection that Christ ap from a natural conception were meant. Surely there would be parently corrected any such misunderstanding when He re nothing that called for any miraculous display of God's power plied: "\Nist ye not that I must be about m:v Father's busi in Mary's conceiving a son as Joseph's wife. The fulfillment ness?" implying that God, not Joseph, was His Father. of this prophecy certainly implied a sign, something super·· Note that while in the case of John the Baptist. the an natural which did not take place in the birth of Isaiah's son. nouncement of his birth is made to Zacharias, the father, yet Further, there has been considerable controversy over the in the case of Jesus, the announcement is made to Mary, the word translated "virgin" ( almah). The opponents to the rloc mother, and not to Jos.eph. Again, the joy of Zacharias is so trine of the Virgin Dirth maintain that this word simply means great at the birth of his son that he breaks out into glad song, a young woman of marriageable age, not necessarily a virgin; but nothing of such a nature is recorded of Joseph. \Vhy not, that another word ( bcthulalz) is nserl for a real virgin. It is a if Joseph was the father of Christ? remarkable fact, however, that this word bcthulah, which the Note also in the gospel narratives how that ~fary and not critics claim is used only of a real \'irgin, is actually used in Joseph is in the foreground. lt is to Mary the angelic mes Joel 1 :8 of a bride weeping for her husband, while the word sage is delivered; the prophecy of Zecbarias has to do with a/mah, which it is claimed does not mean an actual virgin, is Mary, as has also the declaration of Simeon. It is 1fary who used in this and six other places (Genesis- 24 :43; Exodus 2 :8; speaks to the Child found in the temple, Joseph says nothing Psalm 68 :26; Proverbs 13 :19; Song of Solomon 1 :3; 6 :8) but keeps in the background. and never once in anv other sense than as an unmarried maiden. Luther's challenge: "If a Jew or Christian can prove 6. That the early Church did not accept the Virgin Birth. to me that in any other passage of scripture 'almah' means 'a married woman,' I will give him one hundred florins, although This statement is clearly untrue, for with the exception of God alone knows where I may find them." Dr. 'Willis Beecher some very minor sects like the Ebionites and Gnostics, the early says that there is no trace of the use of this word to denote any Church did accept, and the Church for 1500 years continued other than a virgin. to accept, the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. The Apostle's Creed is witness to this fact. As early as 140, A. D., we have 5. That Joseph and Mary are called the fdther and the words in the old Roman form of the creed, "Who was mother of Jesus. born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary." The writings This statement is true, but it is of interest to ascertain by of Ignatius, and Justin Martyr in his Apology and his Dialogue whom they ·were thus called. Was it not by the people of with Trypho, the Jew, defend the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Nazareth, Bethsaida and Capernaum? How could they speak It was not until the 18th century that the real conflict concern otherwise, unless they had been let into the secret of the mira ing the Virgin Birth arose, and then it had its birth with Vol culous birth of Christ? Four times Joseph and Mary are taire and Tom Paine, the noted infidels. In the 19th century called the father and mother of Jesus or the parents of Jesus it was again revived by Strauss and Renan, the famous skep by others, but only once by ~fary herself. In the visit to the tics. In the 20th century we find it again revived by the pro temple, !lfary, in addressing Christ, says: "Thy father and I fessed friends of Christ.
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7. The scholarship of the day is said to be agai11st it. For 1500 years the Church of Christ has received the narra This would not prove anything. even if it were true. tive as absolute truth. Scholarship has not saved and it cannot save the world. The The trustworthiness of the entire Gospel narrative rises world by wisdom knows not God. On one occasion Jesus said: or falls with the acceptance or rejection of the narrative as a "I thank thee, 0 Father. Loni of heaven and earth, that thou whole. It cannot be considered piecemeal. did~t hide these things from the wise and understanding, and Luke declares that he has traced accurately the facts of didst reveal them unto babes" :.Iatthew 11 :25 R. V.). Christ's life from the beginning to the end. His whole. narra But it is not true that the scholarship of the world is tive is impregnated with the thought. that w~~ Chn?t was against the acceptance of the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Dr. born, Mary, His mother, was a virgin. I.t 1s 1m~oss1bl.e. to Orr lines up the following scholars as believing in this doc eliminate verses 34 and 35 of chapter 1 without d1scred1ting trine: Tholuck, Lange, Luthardt, Delitzsch, Rothe, Dorner, Luke's whole narrative. Mortensen, Osterzee, Godet. Were Bishop Lightfoot and Further other facts in connection with the Virgin Birth Bishop Wescott scholars? Are Dr. Sanday of Oxford and arc admittedly historical, e. g. the date of Christ's .birth. of Dr. Sweet of Cambridge not among the :finest Greek scholars Herod's reign, of the public census. So firmly convmced a.re in the world today? IIow about Principal Fairbairn of War we of these facts that we elate our letters from them. D1s field. Oxford, is he not a scholar and thinker? Are not Srr pe11 e with :.Iatthew and Luke and we have no basis for the William Ramsay of Aberdeen, Bishop Gore, Canon Ottley, Dr. elating of your letters. . . . Dick \Yi! on, and Margoliouth scholars of the first order? \Vas The genealogical tables are accepted as g1vmg the. lme ~f not Dr. Orr himself one of the best scholars of the day? In Joseph and ~lary accurately. Why not ther;i accept th~tr te~t1- view of these facts then. it is untrue to say that the scholar inony regarding the supernatu1:al element m co~nectlon with ship of the day is against the acceptance of the doctrine of the Christ's birth? The genealogies tell us that Jacob begat Virgin Birth. The contrary is true. The wise men of the Joseph, the husband of l\lary, of whom was born Jesus, \yho East have been followed by the wise men of the West. The is called Christ" (J'-fatthew 1 :16). In speaking of the b1:th brainy men have come to the manger to worship the King. of Christ, we are told that it was "on this wise" ( 1 : 18), wh!ch III. Reasons for the Acceptance of the Doctrine of the Vir- means that a difference is recognized between the generat10n gin Birth. of Jesus Christ and those that had preceded it. No law of lm1nan generation can account for Christ's birth. It was "on There are certain reasons why the doctrine of the mira this wise." How could it be otherwise if "that which born of culous birth of our Lord as narrated in the gospels should be the flesh is flesh?" If Christ is the second Adam, the Lord accepted by the Christian Church. Among the e reasons may from heaven, His generation too must be from heaven, from he stated the following: above or there can be no second Adam, for He would then be 1. The record of the Virgin Birth is a part of the gospel sinful'. earthly, fallen, li.ke ~he rest
Page Sixteen Page Seventeen Thi! Fundamentals The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ
"that which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3 :6). He must called the Son of God." It was only by the entrance into the also have been subject to sin and death. If Joseph and Mary, world of a sinless being, of One on Whom the taint of sin did who were sinners by nature ancl deed, could have given birth not and c_ould not rest, that a Saviour from sin was possible to a sinless being like Christ, then a greater miracle than the for mankmd. The denial of the Virgin Birth then robs us of Virgin Birth has taken place, and the critics have a very much a Saviour from sin. Note the word "therefore" in Luke 1 :35 more difficult position to face and a harder problem to explain R. V. M.: That which is to be born of the Virgin is the product than that which they find in the supernatural birth. The scien of the Holy Ghost, therefore it is to be holy. tific doctrine of heredity would at once say that it is impossible 3. The Virgin Birth is connected with the Deity of our to bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing, a sinless being Lord Jesus Christ. from sinful parents. Further, if Christ had been born as other human beings are born, He would not only have been a sinner, In Luke 1 :35, we are told that because of the miraculous but also subject to death. Yet we know that death had no element in the generation of Christ, He should be called the claim upon Him, but that He voluntarily offered up His life "Son of God," "the Son of the Highest." These titles are not as a sacrifice for others (J ohli 10 :18). merely official, but denote a unique relationship of the Son to the Father. Matthew in his account of the·birth of Christ, tells It is exceedingly
lined in its natural divisions, and a series of questions demand The Correspondence School ing thought and study is given upon each division. Then, at Instruction bv correspondence long since ceased to b~·tt~ the close of the whole lesson. the teachings of the whole passage experi1~1ent and took its we!l-earne Page Twenty Page Twenty-one The Bible Institute of Los Angeles their studies, and the instructor giYes all the help he can, Work clone in the Corrcsponclcuce School will be credited th~:)llgh he do~s no~ promise to solve them all. There are many to students who may wish to enter the Institute later. thmgs on which Bible studenf. need more light. Students requesting it will· be enrolled in the Correspond This course requires, as a rule, two years to complete it; ence Course Prayer Circle. students who have more time at their disposal than the aver age p~rson employed during the day, can complete it in less, Applications for Enrollment in Correspondence School and \\'Ill be allowed to do so. An application form is furnished on the next page for the student to fill out and return, with the required fees (see be Course Four low), upon which the student will be duly enrolled and studies Personal Evangelism and Practical Work forwarded. By T. C. HORTON The cost of each course is: Superintendent of the Institute Number One...... $5.QO The business of every believer is to be qualified for service. Number Two...... $5.00 The work of every believer is soul saving. It will therefore Number Three.... ------·------······-·------$5.00 be the privilege of the instructor in this course: first, to put the Number Four...... $3.00 student in touch with the Scripture best calculated to equip for Enrollment fees cannot be returnee! to students dis.continu the work of dealing with belieYers and unbelievers; second, to ing any of the courses. direet the student in the best methods of doing personal work; Address inquiries, applications, etc., to The Secretary, third, to give suggestions concerning the preparation for con CorrPspnnrlPnce School, Dible Inatitutc of Lo::; Angeles, Cal. duct of religious meetings. The instructor will aim to hear a personal relation to each The Finan~es of the Institute student. and to combine all of the students of this course into It has always been the practice of tbe Institute to make no charge a body of personal workers, with such associated relationship for tuition. From certain investments there is a limited income for the carrying on of the work of the Institute, but in addition to this that by fellowship in prayer, a definite work may be performed there is needed annually $35,000 for the maintenance of the work. during the progress of the studies. This need is met each year by voluntary contributions, and those Examinations will be made upon the completion of four who believe in the teachings for which the Bible Institute stands, and chapters. the work which it is doing in training men and women for Christian usefulness, and in actually winning men to Ch.rist while th~y are being The student will be expected to complete the course within thus trained, are earnestly requested to help m the fmanc1al needs of one year. It may be completed in half the time, provided the the Institute. student is disposed and has the time to devote to the work. 1. By a contribution to current expense. Either large or small The instructor will be glad to answer any questions, and amounts will be gratefully received, and will assist materially in the work. gi\·e such practical direction in individual cases as may be nec Z. By assuming the expense of training a student for one year. essary to insure the best results. This means donating to the Institute, not the cost of his room and Courses in Synthetic Bible Study and the Preparation board, but the pro rata cost of his instruction. The student himself of Bible Readings and Gospel Addresses are in course of prep is expected to provide for his room and board. 3. By founding a permanent "Scholarship" for the training of a artion by Dr. William Evans. student, as above, which scholarship may bear the name of the donor, if so desired. Examinations and Certificates 4. By investing in the Institute securities, or by investing on the A certificate of work accomplished will be given at the Annuity Plan. . S. By remembering "Bible Institute of Los Angeles" in a last will completion of each course. and testament. An average of 75 per cent. will be required to entitle one Every contributor of $5.00 or more annually to the Institute, will to a certificate on the conclusion of ·a course. receive The King's Business, which is published monthly, free. !'age Twenty-two Page Twenty-three